ST-TMP 3 CD soundtrack...

I know this has probably been covered to death, but after getting the 15 CD complete TOS soundtrack from La-La Land I ordered the 3 CD complete ST-TMP soundtrack and am just now working my way through.

It's nice to hear pieces I don't recall from the film (which might have been edited out) as well as alternate pieces. There are also the differences between how a suite sounded on the initial soundtrack (first on vinyl then later CD) and how it was meant to sound in theatre.

Regardless of what one thinks of this film overall the soundtrack is fantastic. Of course like anyone else I have my favourite pieces, but it is truly evocative all the way through. This really is music of a band of valiant explorers aboard a mighty vessel voyaging into the alien unknown.

My favourite piece overall is the Enterprise Leaving Drydock. It's shorter and more heroic and exciting sounding than the suite accompanying the reveal of the refit Enterprise we hear earlier.

This isn't just one of the very best of Star Trek music. It's one of the best film soundtracks ever done, very well suited to its subject matter.

Listening to the alternate earlier versions of some suites it's easy to see why Robert Wise was dissatisfied. There was no unifying them in that music. It sounded somewhat naval and sweeping, but there was no core, no identity to it and no real emotion.

Actually, there is a partial cue that does not appear in the movie. The middle section of the cue TV Theme/Warp Point Nine was dialed out in the film from about 53 seconds to 1:17 (from the moment the ship jumps to warp to the point it reaches warp 7), then comes back with a bang.

I'm a big film music fan too, like OneBuckFilms, and as you can see I bought almost all the expanded STAR TREK CDs of the past few years. They're all complete, but the TMP set is so comprehensive it defies belief. They really threw in the kitchen sink!